Maybe the pro-Russian "Crimea wanted out so it's all good" folks can explain why Russia essentially captured the entire Ukrainian fleet? Was this to prevent fascists in Kiev from using those ships against the Russian speakers in Crimea?

Mentat:Maybe the pro-Russian "Crimea wanted out so it's all good" folks can explain why Russia essentially captured the entire Ukrainian fleet? Was this to prevent fascists in Kiev from using those ships against the Russian speakers in Crimea?

Mentat:Maybe the pro-Russian "Crimea wanted out so it's all good" folks can explain why Russia essentially captured the entire Ukrainian fleet? Was this to prevent fascists in Kiev from using those ships against the Russian speakers in Crimea?

Why don't you tell your President to go do something. Because sanctions work so well against someone who knows how to play the game.

SithLord:And maybe, just MAYBE, had Slick Willy not been so eager to sign the Budapest Memorandum, later enforced by Obama, Ukraine might have been able to defend itself.

I mean, who knew that a soldier with a gun is more effective than a President with a pen and phone.

It is inevitable that Ukraine will eventually go its own way. Forcing an armed confrontation with Russia over what is essentially their front door is utterly stupid and counter-productive. It will only succeed in destroying their infrastructure.

If Putin decides to invade Ukraine proper, there is not now nor ever was there anything to really stop him`.

Ya know, Putin used to be hard core Communist. He was an officer on the Berlin wall frantically calling for support when the wall fell. He is on record over the years lamenting the fall of Soviet Union as the greatest travesty of the 20th century. He's always been a totalitarian true believer.

Now he's simple a power hungry dictator, a hard left socialist AND a Nationalist. Now just mix those latter two together and what do you get?

Spare Me:Ya know, Putin used to be hard core Communist. He was an officer on the Berlin wall frantically calling for support when the wall fell. He is on record over the years lamenting the fall of Soviet Union as the greatest travesty of the 20th century. He's always been a totalitarian true believer.

Now he's simple a power hungry dictator, a hard left socialist AND a Nationalist. Now just mix those latter two together and what do you get?

Marmilman:Spare Me: Ya know, Putin used to be hard core Communist. He was an officer on the Berlin wall frantically calling for support when the wall fell. He is on record over the years lamenting the fall of Soviet Union as the greatest travesty of the 20th century. He's always been a totalitarian true believer.

Now he's simple a power hungry dictator, a hard left socialist AND a Nationalist. Now just mix those latter two together and what do you get?

I know I know, he's just protecting Russian speaking people.

He's definitely a nationalist, but not a socialist.

Yeah, he's definitely nationalist but his socialist ideals are buried somewhere alongside his rivals. Left or right, both can be totalitarian, he's more like a Tsar.

Spare Me:Ya know, Putin used to be hard core Communist. He was an officer on the Berlin wall frantically calling for support when the wall fell. He is on record over the years lamenting the fall of Soviet Union as the greatest travesty of the 20th century. He's always been a totalitarian true believer.

Now he's simple a power hungry dictator, a hard left socialist AND a Nationalist. Now just mix those latter two together and what do you get?

Slaxl:Marmilman: Spare Me: Ya know, Putin used to be hard core Communist. He was an officer on the Berlin wall frantically calling for support when the wall fell. He is on record over the years lamenting the fall of Soviet Union as the greatest travesty of the 20th century. He's always been a totalitarian true believer.

Now he's simple a power hungry dictator, a hard left socialist AND a Nationalist. Now just mix those latter two together and what do you get?

I know I know, he's just protecting Russian speaking people.

He's definitely a nationalist, but not a socialist.

Yeah, he's definitely nationalist but his socialist ideals are buried somewhere alongside his rivals. Left or right, both can be totalitarian, he's more like a Tsar.

That's pretty much what I was thinking. The guy's a self-serving totalitarian biatch. Even his nationalist tendencies of doing what's best for the glory of Russia only appear when those very ideals coincide with what's best for Putin.

Marmilman:Spare Me: Ya know, Putin used to be hard core Communist. He was an officer on the Berlin wall frantically calling for support when the wall fell. He is on record over the years lamenting the fall of Soviet Union as the greatest travesty of the 20th century. He's always been a totalitarian true believer.

Now he's simple a power hungry dictator, a hard left socialist AND a Nationalist. Now just mix those latter two together and what do you get?

I know I know, he's just protecting Russian speaking people.

He's definitely a nationalist, but not a socialist.

Socialism is just an excuse for dictators (and criminals). Makes good play on the propagation front. You know, "for the People".